“Looking for answers”: Parent experiences of perinatal autopsy

Abstract

We aim to understand parents’ experiences and satisfaction with perinatal autopsy. Seventeen participants whose babies had an autopsy within the past 3 years completed the survey and seven were interviewed. A mixed methods design was used. “Looking for Answers” was the overall parent perspective of seeking autopsy. Two categories with themes were identified: (1) Experiencing Loss (themes: Personal stories and Emotional responses) and (2) Interacting with the Health Care System (themes: Care received, Communication and Autopsy process). Satisfaction scores with autopsy process were positive; however, participants’ stories revealed fragmented care and healthcare communications that contributed to dissatisfaction, complicated grief, and trauma.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for conducting this study: the authors received research funding from Delta Lambda Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.